On 10 March 2026, Professor Martin Keller, President of the Helmholtz Association, visited GSI and FAIR in Darmstadt on the occasion of taking office. The purpose of the visit was to gain in-depth insight into the structures and research activities at the site, and to engage directly with the people driving them – especially staff members and early-career researchers. The guest of honour at the event was Hessian Minister of Science and Research, Art and Culture, Timon Gremmels.

Heike Hofmann, Hessian Minister for Labor, Integration, Youth and Social Affairs (SPD), visited GSI and FAIR in Darmstadt with state parliament representatives Peter Franz (CDU) and Hartwig Jourdan (CDU). The visit centered on discussions about the current situation following the fire, its impact on research and infrastructure, and its effect on employees. The group also discussed the progress made on the FAIR project. Prof. Dr. Thomas Nilsson, Scientific Managing Director of GSI and FAIR, Dr.…

Physicist Kathrin Wimmer from GSI/FAIR has taken up a W3 professorship in Experimental Nuclear Physics/Nuclear Structure at the University of Cologne. The appointment underscores her outstanding scientific expertise and is also a sign of the excellent support for young scientists at GSI/FAIR.

Rechargeable batteries are everywhere — from portable electronic devices and electric vehicles to renewable energy storage. Battery failures are often due to the loss or chemical degradation of the electrolyte. An international research team involving the Helmholtz Institute Mainz, a branch of the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt in Berlin, and New York University has now addressed the question…

The annual meeting of the FAIR-GSI Exotic Nuclei Community (GENCO) was held again this year at GSI/FAIR as part of the NUSTAR Annual Meeting. In a festive colloquium, the Young Scientist Award was presented to Dr. Michail Athanasakis-Kaklamanakis from the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (JILA), University of Colorado, and three scientists received the FAIR-GENCO Membership Award. The keynote address was given by Professor Alexandra Gade from Michigan State University (MSU) and the…

Member of the German Bundestag Svenja Schulze (SPD), former Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, visited GSI and FAIR in Darmstadt together with Bijan Kaffenberger (SPD), member of the Hessian State Parliament. The main focus of the visit was on the latest developments in research and infrastructure at GSI and FAIR as well as on the measures taken in the aftermath of the recent fire incident.

Chemical elements, new isotopes, tiny particles — the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt, Germany, is renowned for its discoveries, including a total of six superheavy elements. Now there is a new world record to report: The research center, where the international accelerator facility FAIR is currently being built, leads the world rankings in the discovery of nuclear isomers. The statistics were compiled by Professor Michael Thoennessen from Michigan State University,…

Following the fire at GSI on February 5, 2026, the GSI Supervisory Board held an extraordinary meeting on February 13 to assess the situation and discuss and decide on immediate measures. The focus is now on directly necessary repair and maintenance measures, alternative solutions for restoring research operations, the commissioning of FAIR, and bridging options for researchers who are dependent on short-term experimental operation at the accelerator.

Following the major fire on the campus of the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt early Thursday morning, damage assessments are underway at GSI/FAIR. Thanks to efficient emergency procedures and the rapid and professional response of the fire departments, the fire has now been extinguished. The construction site for the future international accelerator center FAIR was not affected by the fire. The cause of the fire is currently being investigated by the relevant…